Nanofocus x-ray diffraction and cathodoluminescence investigations into individual core-shell (In,Ga)N/GaN rod light-emitting diodes.

Employing nanofocus x-ray diffraction, we investigate the local strain field induced by a five-fold (In,Ga)N multi-quantum well embedded into a GaN micro-rod in core-shell geometry. Due to an x-ray beam width of only 150 nm in diameter, we are able to distinguish between individual m-facets and to detect a significant in-plane strain gradient along the rod height. This gradient translates to a red-shift in the emitted wavelength revealed by spatially resolved cathodoluminescence measurements. We interpret the result in terms of numerically derived in-plane strain using the finite element method and subsequent kinematic scattering simulations which show that the driving parameter for this effect is an increasing indium content towards the rod tip.

Fano-like resonances sustained by Si doped InAsSb plasmonic resonators integrated in GaSb matrix.

By using metal-free plasmonics, we report on the excitation of Fano-like resonances in the mid-infrared where the Fano asymmetric parameter, q, varies when the dielectric environment of the plasmonic resonator changes. We use silicon doped InAsSb alloy deposited by molecular beam epitaxy on GaSb substrate to realize the plasmonic resonators exclusively based on semiconductors. We first demonstrate the possibility to realize high quality samples of embedded InAsSb plasmonic resonators into GaSb host using regrowth technique. The high crystalline quality of the deposited structure is confirmed by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) observation. Second, we report Fano-like resonances associated to localized surface plasmons in both cases: uncovered and covered plasmonic resonators, demonstrating a strong line shape modification. The optical properties of the embedded structures correspond to those modeled by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method and by a model based on Fano-like line shape. Our results show that all-semiconductor plasmonics gives the opportunity to build new plasmonic structures with embedded resonators of highly doped semiconductor in a matrix of un-doped semiconductor for mid-IR applications.

Drastic Effect of Sequential Deposition Resulting from Flux Directionality on the Luminescence Efficiency of Nanowire Shells.

Core-shell nanowire heterostructures form the basis for many innovative devices. When compound nanowire shells are grown by directional deposition techniques, the azimuthal position of the sources for the different constituents in the growth reactor, substrate rotation, and nanowire self-shadowing inevitably lead to sequential deposition. Here, we uncover for In0.15Ga0.85As/GaAs shell quantum wells grown by molecular beam epitaxy a drastic impact of this sequentiality on the luminescence efficiency. The photoluminescence intensity of shell quantum wells grown with a flux sequence corresponding to migration enhanced epitaxy, that is, when As and the group-III metals essentially do not impinge at the same time, is more than 2 orders of magnitude higher than for shell quantum wells prepared with substantially overlapping fluxes. Transmission electron microscopy does not reveal any extended defects explaining this difference. Our analysis of photoluminescence transients shows that co-deposition has two detrimental microscopic effects. First, a higher density of electrically active point defects leads to internal electric fields reducing the electron-hole wave function overlap. Second, more point defects form that act as nonradiative recombination centers. Our study demonstrates that the source arrangement of the growth reactor, which is of mere technical relevance for planar structures, can have drastic consequences for the material properties of nanowire shells. We expect that this finding holds good also for other alloy nanowire shells.

Electron tomography on nanopores embedded in epitaxial GaSb thin films.

This work reports on the morphology of nanopores and their spatial position in group III-Sb based multilayer heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy on Si(001) substrates. By using electron tomography based on dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy, quantitative information in real space is obtained about individual nanopores unintentionally embedded in GaSb layers. For this purpose adequate needle-shaped samples have to be specifically prepared from the compact material system by focused ion beam. The three-dimensional reconstruction of the probed volume allows the determination of the spatial arrangement of the pores and the analysis of the detailed shape, i.e. the crystallographic facets. Based on these results, the nanopore's geometric shape is discussed with respect to the minimization of surface tension. The formation process can be explained by an agglomeration of vacancies which are generated during the heterostructure growth.

Delayed crystallization of ultrathin Gd2O3 layers on Si(111) observed by in situ X-ray diffraction.

We studied the early stages of Gd2O3 epitaxy on Si(111) in real time by synchrotron-based, high-resolution X-ray diffraction and by reflection high-energy electron diffraction. A comparison between model calculations and the measured X-ray scattering, and the change of reflection high-energy electron diffraction patterns both indicate that the growth begins without forming a three-dimensional crystalline film. The cubic bixbyite structure of Gd2O3 appears only after a few monolayers of deposition.